Biographie de David Aaron

Toronto native, David Aaron, began his studies with his eyes keenly focused on getting his college diploma in Insurance, but soon realized that he was spending all of his time hanging out in the music department (and in the pub) instead of studying his rate tables, so he decided that he needed to give up on his dreams of becoming a successful underwriter and bought a tenor saxophone. He began his reckless journey by studying with Larry Bodner at The Venture School Of Music in Toronto and just as he was beginning to misunderstand everything that Larry was trying to teach him, he was headhunted by BMG Records, based solely on his knowledge of obscure Canadian music, and set off to New York City.

Within his first two weeks, he began bothering reedman, Roy Nathanson, who eventually submitted and became his mentor in both saxophone, composition and general disobedience, and taught him how to play and write in such an odd and uncomfortable way that would guarantee that he remain in absolute obscurity. He also studied at the Jazzmobile in Harlem and SOJ Workshop at The Collective, as well as privately with saxophonist Charles Davis, who once said to him, confusedly, “I just don’t understand how your mind works”, as well as with Bob Mover, who once remarked of one his recordings, “This is the worst saxophone playing I’ve ever heard in my entire life”.

David also stumbles along as a saxophonist, composer, arranger, producer, and has scored music for a number of short films and live theater pieces, including works in the Fringe Theatre Festival. He regularly works as a freelance saxophonist, including his current stint as “the kid” in Dee Pop's Private World. In the past he has worked with Kaleta’s Zozo Afrobeat, Bigger Thomas, Meridian Voice, Les Funky Bitches Fantastique, Psycho Head Terrorizers and Main Entrance, David was also featured as a soloist with the Centre Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Scott Jackson Wylie, performing works by Bizet and Massenet (Werther) at Saint Peter’s Church.

Besides performing classical and operatic works at important places of worship, David has also been booed off the stage at the legendary Apollo Theater, as well as having actually performed at venues like The Knitting Factory (NYC, Brooklyn & Hollywood), The Bottom Line, Minton’s Playhouse, The Bitter End, Fillmore NY@Irving Plaza, Tonic, Brooklyn Museum, Lincoln Center “Out Of Doors” Festival, The 55 Bar, B.B. King Blues, all 3 of CBGB’s performance spaces, as well as the CBGB Festival. He also once had the distinct pleasure of repeatedly marching across the stage of The Metropolitan Opera as a (scantily clad) spear carrier of the Egyptian army in “Aida”.

Besides his performance credits, David also works hawking wares at The Metropolitan Opera and is the head of the Canadian Outreach department for Democracy Now!

He is also the creator/producer of the “Improv At The Khyber” series in Halifax, Canada, which continues in conjunction with Norman Adams and SuddenlyLISTEN. The series features internationally-known musicians, in an intimate gallery venue, and encourages them to freely improvise and explore with other players, most of who have never met before.

His quintet, Short Memory, was formed in 1996, with the assistance and constant harassment of consumer electronics editor/guru (and then “stick” player), Brent Butterworth, as well as drummer/percussionist, Dave Scherer.

Short Memory’s current incarnation includes Spencer Katzman on guitar, Jon Frederick on bass, Dan Kurfirst on drums and Marty Bound on trumpet.

Another of his latest projects is aptly named Flip City and features Will McEvoy on bass. It has been called, “bold and fearless, with a highly original melodic sense” as well as, “the perfect melding of all possible worlds”.